Fighting For Us - Book 4

Tree Trimming

STEF POV

"Wow, we have so many ornaments! Look at all these! Plus ours from California, Mama!" Corey says rather excitedly as I can't help but smile at him. He really was a sweet boy and a good sport about everything considering he still had his bedroom in the living room. It wasn't ideal but the thing about Corey was he was so easy going things rarely bothered him. Of course Lena and I wanted to move into a bigger place but we would hold off until our finances improved a tiny bit. 

"You can thank Aunt Tess for that and Mom.  Aunt Tess mailed ours honey and Mom has a ton of her own." Lena says as I pull the needle through the popcorn we made for the garland with Frankie's help. The kids really were excited as Callie hung up a few ornaments handing a few to Stefanie.

"Oh wow, cool!! Tell your Mom thanks Stef...I mean Star."

"Sure." She mumbles as Frankie munched on the popcorn and I can only laugh.

"Ya know baby there won't be much to this garland if you keep eating it." I poke her nose as she smiles at me.

"MMM, then we can make more." She laughs again as I pop some popcorn in my mouth and wink at her.  Glancing over at Stefanie I catch her glaring at us much like she did nowadays with such confusion and both hurt. Truth was I just didn't know how to talk to her anymore for when I did  I always ended up screaming at her. "Would you like to help, Stefanie?"

"No, and it's Star." The young teen pops her bubble gum as she swings her leg. I was trying to be patient but she was surely testing it.

"Ok...Star, would you like to help?" I say almost surprising even myself as she shakes her head.

"You don't need to mock my name you know." She rolls her eyes.

"She wasn't!" Frankie immediately comes to my defense as I gently grab her hand letting her know it's ok.

"I'm not mocking your name, love. If that's what you choose to be called then that's what we will call you." I say pretty sternly as she looks at me with nothing but apprehension and mistrust.

"Oh look what I found. Goodness is this you, baby?" I suddenly hear Lena say as she walks over to me with an ornament. Grabbing it from her it was me as a little girl with my father, Frank. 

"Yeah. That's me and my dad. I think...gosh, I was about 5." Smiling at the old ornament I could feel my chest tighten as Callie wraps her arms around me.

"Aww you're so cute, Mama."

"That you are. Such a cutie!" Lena says. "And your father is handsome."

"Yeah he wasn't bad looking." Handing the ornament back to her it had been awhile since I even looked at this old ornament and it had been awhile since I had seen or spoke to both my parents. My father it had been years for ever since he came to my apartment back in 1979 and called me a disgrace basically disowning me and trashing me, I avoided him like the plague. Sure it hurt, it hurt big time for I loved my father more than life. But he didn't love me.

"Does he visit, Mama Dukes?" Corey asks rather innocently as I smile warmly at him.

"No he's a jackass. He disowned her because she's gay." Frankie jumps in.

"Francesca. Honey, watch your mouth, that is Callie's grandfather." Lena warns as I grab our daughter's hand. 

"It's ok. I know he's a jerk." Callie says as I look to her. "I've known that for a while, Mama. It's ok. I know he doesn't agree with who you are as a person and it's his loss."

"That's what I meant to say but it came out wrong." Frankie says as I can't help but laugh and neither can Lena.

"Yeah, baby girl, we know you have no filter. Will serve you well one day once you learn to slow your roll at the right times." I wink at her as she grins wide at me once again.  "In the meantime let's put some music on and decorate this tree, babies!"

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As the entire apartment was asleep Stefanie couldn't help but take advantage of the opportunity to use the phone. But this time she made sure to be even more quiet for she knew last time Corey had busted her on the phone.

It wasn't of course to call her parents who she was furious with, but she wanted to call Alby for she had been keeping in contact with him regardless of how volatile their relationship had been. Stefanie knew it was risky as she tiptoed past Stef and Lena's bedroom quickly making it to the kitchen. Dialing the boys number he answered after the second ring.

"What?"

"Alby, it's me." she whispers into the phone.

"And? What the fuck do you want Star? Huh? I'm busy."

"Well, I just wanted to say I made it to New York. I...I thought you would want to know."

"I don't wanna know. I don't care. You're little black ass got me in trouble because of that bitch of a aunt you have. So you can thank her that I don't want to be with you. You're a fucking trouble maker and a fucking loser."

"I told you I was sorry about that. I am! What more do you want me to do Alby? You told me before we left that you loved me. That we were back together." she says feeling tears run down her face.

"I changed my mind. You're a little whore, anyway. You think I don't know you were making out with Maia?  Huh? She tells me everything! That's what you are so..." He screams horribly at the girl as Stefanie soon sees the kitchen light come on and Stef staring right at her.

"All I know is that better be either your father or mother on the other end of that phone at this hour of the night." She says walking over knowing it wasn't as Stefanie gulped and slammed the phone down.

"It was just my father, relax." She sasses and steps backwards as Stef steps closer to her.

"Yeah, somehow, I doubt that. You plan on giving me money for that call to that boy? MM?"

"Take your money, I don't care. I can call who I want when I want." She mouthed off trying to walk off as Stef grabbed her arm looking the defiant girl dead in the eyes.

"That's where you are dead ass wrong. New rules in this house, ones you could never even fathom. And tomorrow I have plans for you. One of many."

"I can't stand you. No wonder your parents disowned you. You are annoying and controlling!" She yelled and Stef could only laugh. "What is so funny?"

"Disowned me, huh? Well guess what? I own you now and I am officially your worst fucking nightmare! Believe me!!! You won't know what freedom will feel like until your damn near 50 fucking years old!!! Because from.this day forward I am both your mother and father and you are in my care until I say you're not!!"

"Never!!! You're CRAZY!!!!!!"

"Oh yeah, babygirl? Believe me! I am! You aren't going home after Christmas. Your ass is staying with me!"

"What! You are bluffing! I don't believe you. Why are you lying to me right now?"

"Mm, try me love. Because your ass is mine and you will no longer have a life. I tell you when to leave the house, when to breathe, when to sleep, when to eat, everything!!!"

"What is going on?" Lena says covering herself with her robe as she sees Stef's red face and neck from screaming her head off. "It's 3 in the morning, love. Something happen?"

"Your woman told me I'm living here?! That I'm not going home?!" Stefanie asked panicked as Lena looked at her impulsive fiance for this was not how this was supposed to go. At all.